Abvance Therapeutics secures seed funding to limit glucose lows
Abvance Therapeutics Inc. secured an undisclosed amount of capital in a seed round led by Zubi Capital to support development of an insulin and glucagon combination product that the company has been in the process of developing for approximately 18 months. “We’re very excited that this round is able to get us positioned for a successful series A once we meet some internal confidential milestones,” Edward Raskin, CEO of Abvance, told BioWorld.

Abvance Therapeutics secures seed funding to limit glucose lows
Abvance Therapeutics Inc. secured an undisclosed amount of capital in a seed round led by Zubi Capital to support development of an insulin and glucagon combination product that the company has been in the process of developing for approximately 18 months. “We’re very excited that this round is able to get us positioned for a successful series A once we meet some internal confidential milestones,” Edward Raskin, CEO of Abvance, told BioWorld.
Selective oral small-molecule inhibitor of Aurora kinase B to fight multiple cancers
Many cancers involve upregulation of Aurora kinase B, which helps deregulate normal cell cycling to drive tumor proliferation. The kinase should therefore be a good therapeutic target, yet no small-molecular inhibitor has been clinically approved despite more than two decades of effort.
Pfizer discovers new nucleoprotein N inhibitors for RSV infection
Pfizer Inc. has described nucleoprotein N (respiratory syncytial virus [RSV]) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of RSV infection.
FDA clears Rocket Pharmaceuticals’ IND for gene therapy candidate
The U.S. FDA has cleared Rocket Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s IND application for RP-A701, an AAVrh.74-based gene therapy candidate for the treatment of BAG3-associated dilated cardiomyopathy (BAG3-DCM), a severe form of heart failure.
Actinium’s ATNM-400 demonstrates superior efficacy in prostate cancer
Actinium Pharmaceuticals Inc. recently presented data on ATNM-400, a new antibody radioconjugate that uses actinium-225 (Ac-225) to target a non-prostate-specific member antigen (PSMA) protein that is frequently overexpressed in several tumor types, including prostate cancer.
Sunshine Lake Pharma patents new PKMYT1 inhibitors
Sunshine Lake Pharma Co. Ltd. has disclosed Myt1 kinase (PKMYT1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Preclinical characterization of antiobesity drug MET-097
MET-097 is a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist developed at Metsera for treating overweight and obesity and is currently in phase II clinical trials.

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Conferences

HS-1002 boosts T-cell function, synergizes with PD-1 blockade in cancer models
Cancer
T-cell activity is often suppressed by the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment, contributing to the limited efficacy of many immunotherapeutic strategies. Treatment with peptides derived from human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) has been shown to effectively promote the...
OB-756 shows therapeutic efficacy in type 1 diabetes
American Diabetes Association
The main feature of type 1 diabetes is the destruction of pancreatic β cells that produce insulin. Immunotherapy directed at inhibiting immune interactions between cytokines and islet cells and preserving its functioning is key to reverse the progression of the disease.
IBI-3030 protects against cardiovascular risk in mice
American Diabetes Association
IBI-3030 from Innovent Biologics Inc. is a novel antibody-peptide conjugate targeting PCSK9 that shows agonism for GLP-1R, GCGR and GIPR, aimed to confer therapeutic benefit against cardiovascular disease.
UD-086, a next-generation HER2-targeting ADC with enhanced therapeutic index
Cancer
Despite the approval of numerous antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), their therapeutic index remains limited by off-target toxicity resulting from linker instability. To address this challenge, the development of novel ADCs with improved plasma stability and reduced systemic toxicity is critically...

Cancer

Abion strikes $1.3B antibody drug deal with unidentified partner
Deals and M&A
Abion Inc. signed a potential $1.315 billion deal with an anonymous partner June 22, granting the counterparty exclusive global rights to a preclinical claudin 3-targeting monoclonal antibody, ABN-501, and the potential to license four more protein targeting antibodies.

Infection

Discovery and evaluation of new indole-dihydropyrimidinone derivatives for visceral leishmaniasis
Visceral leishmaniasis is a fatal disease caused by the Leishmania parasite, affecting organs such as the liver and spleen. Visceral leishmaniasis is considered a neglected tropical disease and is estimated to cause between 50,000 and 90,000 cases and around 70,000 deaths per year.

Evaxion unveils new vaccine program to prevent group A Streptococcus infections
Immune
Evaxion A/S has added a new vaccine program, named EVX-B4, to its pipeline for prevention of group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections. Invasive GAS infections can cause diseases such as sepsis, toxic shock, rheumatic heart disease and necrotizing fasciitis.
Scientiam Pharma reports new EBNA-1 inhibitors
Patents
Scientiam Pharma has disclosed new 6-aminophenanthridine derivatives acting as Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated disorders such as post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder, multiple sclerosis and...

Neurology/psychiatric

At EAN 2025, DEI Hub launches to improve care for all
Science
In recognition of the fact that diversity, equity and inclusion are necessary prerequisites for precision medicine, the European Academy of Neurology announced the launch of a DEI Hub at its 11th Congress, which is being held in Helsinki through June 24.
Immunoproteasome triggers neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis
Endocrine/metabolic
In multiple sclerosis (MS), an alteration of neuronal metabolism caused by dysfunction of its proteasome, the cellular machinery responsible for recycling proteins, contributes to neurodegeneration in this inflammatory disease. This finding could be explored for the development of drugs that...
EAN 2025: CAR T cells take on neurological disorders, though sometimes still one patient at a time
Science
At the 11th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology, which was held in Helsinki June 21 to June 24, researchers presented new data on using CAR T cells in autoimmune neurological conditions.
Viva Star Biosciences discloses new NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors
Patents
Viva Star Biosciences (Suzhou) Co Ltd. and Viva Star Biosciences (US) Inc. have patented new NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of neurodegeneration, metabolic diseases, inflammatory disorders, cancer and genetic disorders.
Cure Rare Disease completes pre-IND meeting for limb girdle muscular dystrophy gene therapy program
Gene therapy
Cure Rare Disease has successfully completed a pre-IND meeting with the FDA regarding its investigational gene therapy program for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2I/R9 (LGMDR9).

Endocrine/metabolic

Exercise-mimicking compound offers alternative to GLP-1 therapies
Science
An experimental drug for treating diabetes and obesity has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and increase fat burning. It is a β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) agonist that mimics the effects of physical exercise by activating skeletal muscle metabolism. Unlike GLP-1-based treatments such as...

Biomarkers

Metabolic markers to predict efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in non-small-cell lung cancer
Cancer
Lung cancer is the second most frequent cancer worldwide, and it accounts for 18% of all cancer-related deaths. Most cases of lung cancer involve non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in which therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can improve prognosis, yet up to 75% of patients fail to...

miR-7974 is a predictor of poor survival in ER+ breast cancer
Conferences
Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer remains a major challenge even with well-defined treatment options. The identification of reliable markers for early detection of the disease is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
Taurine aging biomarker story gets more complicated
Science
A publication based on longitudinal and cross sectional data and led by researchers at the U.S. NIH’s National Institute on Aging published on June 5, 2025, in Science has stated that the impact of taurine supplementation at delaying aging or treating aging-related conditions is context-dependent,...

Gastrointestinal

Engineered anti-IL-23 receptor antibody enables oral delivery to treat inflammatory bowel disease
Antibody
Researchers from Genentech Inc. have developed a novel single-domain antibody (VHH) targeting the IL-23 signaling pathway, which can be administered orally to effectively treat inflammatory bowel disease in animal models.
Gut microbiome leads to metabolic and immune changes after transplant
Science
Is fecal microbiota transplant effective? Is it really safe? And is it really all the same? Scientists at the University of Chicago have investigated the regional differences in gut environments to question these interventions.
Korean scientists divulge new ADAMTS4 inhibitors for hepatic fibrosis
Patents
Researchers at Gachon University and Seoul National University Hospital have synthesized a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 4 (ADAMTS4; aggrecanase-1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis.
New LPAM-1 antagonists disclosed in Dice Molecules patent
Patents
Dice Molecules SV LLC has divulged integrin α4β7 (LPAM-1) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of graft-vs.-host disease, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis.
Gut microbiome leads to metabolic and immune changes after transplant
Science
Is fecal microbiota transplant effective? Is it really safe? And is it really all the same? Scientists at the University of Chicago have investigated the regional differences in gut environments to question these interventions to analyze the...
17β-HSD13 inhibitors described in Astrazeneca patent
Patents
Astrazeneca AB has reported the identification of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 13 (HSD17B13; 17β-HSD13) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH; MASH), among others.

podcast microphone, sound waves on purple background Breakthrough medicines, billion-dollar deals, spectacular clinical successes and crushing failures all play a part in biopharma’s dynamic story. Developers make scientific advancements with the potential to change everything, only to face regulatory conundrums and ever-fluctuating markets. BioWorld tracks key events in the fast-moving sector every business day. Now, the BioWorld Insider podcast lets you hear directly from the movers and shakers whose collective work is changing how we all live. Join us each week for a new conversation.

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